Bad Girls Never Say Die

From the acclaimed author of Moxie comes a gripping gender-flipped reimagining of The Outsiders that explores the deep bonds of female friendship and what it takes to be a "bad girl."

1964. Houston, Texas.

Evie Barnes is a bad girl. So are all her friends. They’re the sort who wear bold makeup, laugh too loud, and run around with boys. Most of all, they protect their own against the world. So when Evie is saved from a sinister encounter by a good girl from the "right" side of the tracks, every rule she's always lived by is called into question. Now she must redefine what it means to be a bad girl and rethink everything she knew about loyalty.

In this riveting story of murder, secrets, and tragedy, Jennifer Mathieu puts a female twist on S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders. Bad Girls Never Say Die has all the drama and heartache of that teen classic, but with a feminist take just right for our times.

Praise for Bad Girls Never Say Die:

"Mathieu has created a story that is wholly her own, and what a mighty story it is." - The New York Times

"[A] bold feminist take on The Outsiders ... This important, thought provoking read will no doubt have a lasting impression on readers." - Booklist

"Jennifer Mathieu has rather ingeniously taken the social dynamics of The Outsiders and refocused them on a pack of teenage girls... a worthy expansion." - Shelf Awareness

"In Evie—loyal, searching, smarter than she realizes—Mathieu (The Liars of Mariposa Island) has created an earnest, memorable character." - Publishers Weekly

"Engaging dialogue and melodramatic plot twists keep pages turning as the girls’ unlikely bond is solidified and the star-crossed lovers’ sad story unfolds. This book holds its own as a standalone novel and offers lots of opportunities for discussion as a companion read to Hinton’s." - The Horn Book

"A reimagining of The Outsiders ... the feeling Evie expresses over being stuck in her teenage trappings will ring true to many, and her efforts to eschew gender expectations will be felt by any teens who face gender-discriminatory dress codes at school." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Highly recommended for the classroom or to give to budding social activists." - School Library Journal